Gentle Leader Head Collar

We've been using the leader for a week now and, despite my initial concerns, I have to make some concessions. First, Dad
seems to be in a much better mood on walks. I'd always assumed he was just a surly and temperamental pet but perhaps he
doesn't like to walk as fast as I do or appreciate how strong I am. He also doesn't rub his arms and elbows in pain at the end
of walks anymore. I always assumed he was geriatric but maybe he's just a frail animal and trying to keep up with me, his
owner, was a challenge. I would rate this product very low because I really am a busy dog and have places to go and things to
sniff, but I have to be objective. Both my pets, Dad and Mom, seem to love the thing and it's been a happier household since
the Gentle Leader Ž came into our lives. I can't imagine how much good stuff we've missed walking as slow as we now do,
but if it's had this much of a positive impact on my human pets, I guess I can't help but give it a solid four paws. On the
upside, I get a lot more of those hard to reach itches on my back scratched by letting my human walk by my side.

I've had my human well trained for 6 years now. I run to the end of the leash, he grunts,
groans or yells his approval, his joints give a satisfyingly rewarding pop and off we go on
our walks. I do this at the beginning of our walks, the middle of our walks and, unless I'm
too tired to continue entertaining my human, at the end of our walks. I know I should be
consistent in my human training but I sometimes get tired at the end of our walks and let
my human walk by my side for the trip home.

A week ago my human came home with a bag. He looked very pleased with himself as
he removed the bag's contents. At first I was excited. The bag smelled of pet store and
that usually means toys. The human (I call him "Dad") set to opening the package with
his paws (why they don't use their teeth for that kind of thing is beyond me) and pulled
out some strange contraption and a piece of paper which he stared at for a while. So far
no problem but then he tried sticking the contraption on my head and snout.

Wanting none of Dad's craziness, I scolded him, pulled away, and promptly removed
the device from my snout with one paw. He went back to staring at the paper for a few
minutes, made some adjustments to the new object, and then tricked me into sticking
my snout back into it with some food. As the device (Dad keeps calling it a "leader")
clicked into place, I backed away to remove it again. It didn't come off. I bucked up
and down and it still wouldn't come off. I shook my head, pawed at my snout and still
it stayed firmly in place. I whimpered my dissatisfaction at my human but, being
human (horribly obtuse creatures, humans), he didn't understand and, instead of
assisting, made happy noises at me and smacked me playfully on the top of the head
a few times. I decided to ignore the "leader" for the time being. Sometimes ignoring
humans is the best way to get them to behave.

The next phase of humiliation came when Dad and his mate (I call her "Mom")
brought me their leash, excited for a walk. Thinking nothing of it and still
ignoring the leader (which allowed me to pant, eat and drink so it wasn't all
that bad at this point) I let Dad click the leash in place and patiently waited for
them to gather up the rest of the pack for a walk. The door opened and I did
my usual, bounding down the steps, anxious to get the humans to the park.
Then my head turned and the show came to a stop.

Unlike our previous walking method, the Gentle Leader Ž prevents me from
maintaining my usual pace. It forces my head around whenever I lunge to the
end of the leash! It doesn't hurt at all but it sure is annoying to have your head
turned around when you're trying to get someplace fast. I really made a fuss
this time. I pouted and rolled on the ground, I bucked up and down, I rubbed my
face on Dad's leg, I did everything I could think of to remove the thing but it just
wouldn't come off. After seven or eight minutes of throwing a tantrum, I finally
had to accept my fate. Dad wasn't going to take the thing off and I would just
have to live with it. The walk continued with me spending most of it close to my
human.